Vital Signs: Health-Care Costs Come Off the Boil

Employers continue to hold down the growth in compensation, a task made easier by the large amount of slack in the labor markets.

According to the Labor Department, compensation costs for all civilian workers increased 2% for the year ended in December. Wages and salaries increased 1.9%, while benefits rose 2.2%.

Total compensation growth picked up slightly from 2012 but the rate is down significantly its prerecession pace. One reason: a long-run moderation in the growth of healthcare costs paid by private employers.